When Friends Leave Us
by AvngAngl
Summary: Written for the May Death Fic Challenge. Not my best work I'll admit, this was a harder challenge then I thought it would be.


Disclaimer: I don't own the CM characters. I do like to have fun with them though. This is for the Dearly Departed challenge on Chit Chat Corner.

When Friends Leave Us

God he hated days like this. Nothing was going right, nothing at all and it was only 7 AM. Haley had called screaming again about something else she absolutely had to have for Jack, and wanting the money to pay for it. JJ had called telling him Strauss had called her because she couldn't get a hold of him. He had looked at his cell phone seeing the missed calls after JJ had called him. He remembered turning the volume off when he went to his divorce lawyer's office last night. He must have forgotten to turn it back on again. But then again after the meeting with his lawyer he didn't want to talk to anyone. God, he wanted either a drink or a vacation. Just get the hell out of the area for a few days to forget. Taking a deep breath he realized that wasn't going to happen anytime soon and he had better get the lashing from Strauss over with. Pulling his cell phone out he dialed the Section Chief's number.

"Strauss" he heard on the other end after four rings.

"Chief Strauss, its Agent Hotchner. I apologize for not receiving your phone calls. I had to turn my phone off in a meeting and forgot to turn it back on." Aaron gave just enough information to hopefully placate the woman.

"Agent Hotchner….Aaron…its fine. However, I have some news to report to you and I would rather do so in person if that's ok." Strauss sounded sympathetic to Hotch. What was up he wondered?

"I'm still at home, but will be in the office in about 2 hours if that's acceptable ma'am?" Aaron asked.

"I'm on my way into the office now. I drive past where you live I will stop by in roughly 10 minutes." Strauss spoke firmly and hung up the phone.

Aaron pulled his phone away from his ear and stared at the screen. 'What the hell just happened?' he thought to himself. Damn, he scrubbed his face with his hand, realizing he had ten minutes to get dressed and ready for his boss to show up at his condo.

Aaron was just walking into his kitchen for coffee when the doorbell rang. He went to the door to answer, disarming his house alarm and unlocking the deadbolts and chain, he opened his door to see Chief Strauss standing in his entrance.

"Chief Strauss… Come in, please." Aaron held the door opened wider. "Would you like some coffee? I was just fixing a cup for myself." He offered.

"Coffee, would be fine Aaron. Black please." Strauss' voice held a softness to it.

"Ma'am," Aaron walked her to the breakfast bar and began pouring two cups of coffee. "Is there something wrong Ma'am?" he was direct.

"Aaron, I'm sorry to have to come here and tell you this. I know you've been friends with David for many many years." Chief Strauss began.

"Chief Strauss?" Aaron questioned wondering where this line of conversation was going.

"It's Erin, please Aaron…Today isn't the day for office protocols." Erin rested a hand on Aarons arm.

"Erin?" Aaron began to feel the panic rising in his chest. "What is this about Dave?"

"Aaron I got a call this morning from the L.A. police Chief." Erin began. "He informed me that David was found dead in his hotel room this morning. They aren't sure of the cause just yet, but preliminarily it appears from a heart attack."

Aaron sat back in his chair blankly staring at his Section Chief. "Oh God…Dave?" a tear fell from the corner of the stoic unit chiefs eye.

"Aaron, I know things have never been 'friendly' between us, but we've both been the closest thing to family Dave has had and should be the ones to bring him home." Erin's tone was softer than he's ever heard her.

"Of course" Aaron just nodded his head up and down. "I have to tell the team before we go. I can be ready within the hour Ma'am." Aaron knew his thoughts were rambling but didn't care. All he knew was that his best friend, his mentor, and if he was honest, the man who was more of a father to him than his own bastard of a sperm donor had been. How did he tell all these people? And his ex-wives, shit he had to call the vultures. He looked up at Erin groaning audibly "The ex-wives?"

"Aaron, I'll have the jet ready in an hour, and we can leave within an hour or two after you tell the team, leave the ex's out of it for now. Let's go get answers and bring David home. Then we'll handle everything else." Erin's tone was firm.

"Yes Ma'am. I'll meet you at the office." Aaron rose from kitchen table and walked his Section Chief to the door.

"Aaron…?" Erin turned her head back towards the front door. "I loved him too, you know." A small sob escaped her lips.

"Yes, Ma'am I do know. And in his own weird way Dave knew too. We'll bring him home together Erin. Dave would want that, I think." Aaron stated softly.

True to his word Aaron met Chief Strauss at the office. Erin had decided they both should tell the team. For Aaron this was the hardest thing to do. As they were getting ready to leave to bring Dave home the team stood at the elevator tears still streaming down their faces. Chief Strauss simply told the six people in front of her, "We'll bring him home. And then…we'll celebrate his life because that's what he would have wanted." Her voice cracked "We…You… are all on stand down until further notice. Go home, be with your families. Hug them all and tell them you love them, because that is what David would have told us all if it had been anyone else." Tears streamed down her face openly. Aaron nodded to his team and placed a supportive arm across Erin's shoulder's and walked her onto the elevator. As the elevator doors closed with the two grieving agents the rest of the term could hear the quiet oath "We're coming to bring you home Dave."

The end.


End file.
